Red Thread of Fate
by Sandylee007
Summary: SPOILERS 'My bright red hair had led me to my soulmate. It became my own personal red thread of fate.' The story of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze. MinatoKushina POTENTIAL FOURSHOT
1. Of Tomatoes and Habaneros

A/N: Heh, I know, another story. (sweatdrops) But I've got a good excuse for the birth of this potential fourshot.

The latest manga-chapter made me fall in love with Naruto-manga all over again. You know, I was close to giving up on the whole thing until Kishimoto comes up with something like that – writes in a lovestory that sneaked directly into my heart. The moment I was finished I came to a conclusion that I'd just have to write a tribute (or something like that…) to Minato and Kushina's lovestory. And that's how this story was born. (grins sheepishly)

**WARNINGS! SPOILERS**, to those who haven't read the latest manga chapters yet. Language and adult themes, along with a touch of tragedy, as per usual with my stories. (grins cheekily)

DISCLAIMER: Me, OWN? (laughs hysterically) When pigs fly, perhaps.

So… (gulps) I guess I can't really keep stalling anymore, ne? So… (takes a deep breath) Let's go – I really hope ya'll enjoy the ride!

* * *

**_Red Thread of Fate_**

* * *

_Of Tomatoes and Habaneros_

* * *

As most children, a nine year old Kushina Uzumaki was far from thrilled when she had to leave her home and move to Konoha. She'd never been exactly good at making friends, so she definitely wasn't looking forward to settling into a whole another village.

She was too tough and stubborn to say she felt fear when as she stood beside their teacher – a rather old man with long, tightly tied brown hair and huge, thick glasses. But she most definitely felt uncomfortable as the man spoke to the very restless class. "Silence!" the man roared in a voice that would've silence a whole army. Once he had everyone's attention the man went on. "We have a new student in our class. Her name is Kushina Uzumaki, and I'd like you all to make her feel welcomed." The man then looked towards her with a warm smile. "Why don't you start with telling your dream for the future."

She was the new kid so she'd have to try and impress these kids, she figured. And she knew just the way to do it. Kushina lifted her chin and spoke with unnecessarily loud volume. "I'm gonna be the first female Hokage!"

For a moment everyone stared at her as though she'd said the most ridiculous thing in the whole world. Then, all of a sudden, most of the class erupted into a laughter.

Their teacher cast the others a venomous, dangerous look. "Enough!" He then glanced towards her. "Take your seat, Kushina", he ordered before focusing on the others. "So… What dreams do the rest of you have?"

Kushina walked sullenly to her seat and slumped down much more loudly than she would've had to, still sulking with her arms folded. She listened to the others with only half a ear.

Someone wished to become a great Shinobi – the best.

Another planned on a family.

One was bold enough to hope for peace.

"What about you, Minato?" their teacher inquired. "What's your dream for the future?"

Kushina didn't really focus, until something about Minato's voice caught her attention long before the words did. "I want everyone in the village to acknowledge me and become a great Hokage."

Kushina looked at the bright-haired boy with a frown, unsure what she should think. Was that guy making fun of her, or was he being serious?

She was too young to recognize the look on their teacher's face as that of amusement. "Well, how about this. It looks like we have two future leaders in our classroom."

Kushina snorted soundlessly and looked away from the boy. One thing she knew, or at least thought she knew, in an instant.

A Goofy Flake like that one would _never_ become a Hokage.

Minato, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off her hair. He came to a conclusion that they were the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

* * *

The children didn't forget about Kushina's words, for they kept picking on her for them for months to come. They even went as far as giving her a far from appealing nickname 'Tomato'. She hated it from the bottom of her heart because her chubby cheaks made her look like one. One day exactly three months before her tenth birthday Kushina finally had enough.

Her eyes narrowed when two boys whose names she couldn't even remember yet blocked her path on a busy street. "What do you want?" she bit out.

Both of the boys were much bigger and taller than she. Despite her usual stubborn nature she realized that the situation didn't look promising. The boys knew this as well.

The taller one of the boys smirked in a very infuriating way and pushed her lightly. "We heard you fell flat on your butt in today's practice."

"Yeah", the slightly shorter boy joined in, eyes shining with something that made her blood boil. "Not exactly suitable for a Hokage to be, right – _Tomato_?"

At that moment Kushiha saw red.

The adults around them could only watch as the girl who usually didn't exactly shine in ninja-skills attacked the two boys, giving them both several bruises as a reminder of just how fiery a tomato can be.

(Later on, she got a huge lecture for her antics and was forced to give the boys a very reluctant apology she didn't really mean at all.)

What no one noticed, was that from the sidelines a lone figure observed the commotion with a tiny smile on his face.

That day Minato Namikaze fell in love, as far as a ten-year-old could.

And as from that day, Kushina was known as The Bloody Habanero.

* * *

Frankly, a twelve year old Kushina still didn't think much of Minato Namikaze – her opinion on him hadn't changed from the day they first met. Whatever everyone else said, to her he was still a Goofy Flake who could easily be ignored. They talked sometimes but didn't train together a lot until a certain, deviously mundane day.

Kushina gave a sigh before approaching Minato on one of Konoha's training grounds. "I don't understand why Sensei wanted me to train with you, but let's get it over with." _I'll win this one in a flash_, she mused with childish arrogance. _Then the boy won't laugh at me anymore._

Minato nodded. "Okay." He took a stance, clearly focusing. "Let's start with just ninjutsu."

She nodded, her eyes flashing. "Suits me just fine."

In little while she learned that the result of the battle might not be as set in stone as she'd thought, after all.

They spun around each other in a dizzying speed, throwing kicks and punches. As usual Kushina fought with her all to keep up with the pace, but in the end Minato's famous speed was just too much for her.

She growled loudly with frustration when he once again disappeared from her line of vision. "Stay still for a goddam second so I can land a decent attack!"

"The enemy won't wait around for you, either, Kushina." His calm tone only made her seethe more. "If you want to survive from the missions, you need to learn to keep up."

And then, before she could do more than blink, Kushina realized that she was spinning and falling. There was a hasty breath of air before she felt a hand behind her back and realized that Minato was leaning above her.

She was only inches from the ground, Kushina noticed and felt burning of irritation inside. She'd lost – she'd lost to a…!

Minato blinked once, examining her face. "Are you okay? You're all red."

Her eyes narrowed as frustration, irritation and his close proximity made her feel uncomfortably hot. "Let go of me, Namikaze!"

He shrugged. "As you wish." And so he did let go, sending her falling roughly to the ground.

Minato was no prankster. But as he saw the red on Kushina's cheeks and the fire – which matched with that of her hair – in her eyes, he mused that teasing her every once in a while might be nice. It was well worth the few bruises she gave him.

That day, Kushina wondered for the first time if she'd made the mistake of misjudging Minato – if there was more to him than she'd thought. She, however, quickly dismissed that thought. At least for a little bit longer.

* * *

The second turning point in Kushina's life – the first one in Konoha – happened when she was thirteen and took her third mission with her team. The mission, which had surprisingly turned out to be A-ranked, was a success. But she had to see too many people die in a matter of days.

It was also the first time she actually killed someone. And as embarrassed as she was by it, she cried a bit and threw up afterwards. The nightmares followed soon after.

Kushina couldn't understand. Wasn't she supposed to be a tough ninja? Ninjas never cried and had nightmares over something so stupid.

_She _was being stupid. Being a ninja was stupid.

It took three endlessly long days of walking before they finally made it home. As soon as they did Kushina isolated herself to one of the playground's swings. Another embarrassing thing – she hadn't used those since she decided she was too old for them at the grand age of ten.

And like the day – the whole week – hadn't been bad enough she heard steps. She fought back a tiny groan when lifting her gaze and seeing Minato looking at her from five steps's distance. "Oh, you." Great. He was the about last person she wanted to see her in such a state of mind.

She expected Minato to ridicule her, to tell her that she wasn't fit to be a ninja for being so worked up by all this. But he did no such thing.

Without saying a word Minato approached and took the swing next to hers, fixing his gaze towards the sky where stars were beginning to appear.

For about twenty minutes she waited, expected him to say _something_. But when he simply sat there, completely motionless apart from when wind blew through his hair, she accepted the silence. Which was odd, really – she'd never been good at handling quiet situations.

That's how they remained for almost three hours until Minato suddenly got up and walked away just as unexpectedly as he'd appeared. And Kushina realized that she really didn't know Minato Namikaze at all.

Afterwards Kushina didn't tell a soul about the confusing meeting. But in those silent hours a seed of something new had been planted.

* * *

Since she was a child Kushina had heard the adults around her whisper with worry over her unusual chakra. It'd get her into a lot of trouble one day, they predicted. And when Kushina was fourteen just that happened.

Kidnapped Kushina's head was a bit blurry and filled with chaos as several ninjas from the Hidden Cloud led her towards the borderline. She was terrified, as anyone of her age in such a situation. But she wasn't helpless.

Careful to keep her motions as subtle as possible, she pulled out a strand of long, red hair after another, marking her path. She could only pray someone would notice her clues. But as they were only minutes away from the Hidden Cloud, her hope began to wither.

That was until the leader of the squad – a rather huge man with lots of scars – suddenly stopped and lifted his hand. There was a deep frown on the man's face.

"What's up?" a man stood directly behind her demanded.

The leader's eyes flashed. "We're not alone."

The group never knew what hit them.

Everything happened so fast that Kushina couldn't really follow. There were screams – those of her captors – and she heard heavy sounds off struggle. There were thuds before it became quiet. Too quiet to her liking.

In moments she was falling. She closed her eyes and screamed out loud, almost sure that no one or nothing would be fast enough to break her fall in time.

Scream of terror was interrupted and got stuck into her throat when firm, determined arms caught her in the middle of the fall. Her whole body jerked and she let out a surprised gasp before daring to crack her eyes open.

She was in someone's arms, that much became clear immediately. And they were stood on a tree branch that looked much too frail to her liking. If it hadn't made the whole situation even more humiliating than it already was she would've given squeak of startle. She grabbed and squeezed the arm of her savior a bit more tightly than would've been appropriate.

Her biggest shock, however, came when the savior spoke. "Are you okay?"

It took a long moment before her shock allowed her to function. Her eyes widened to a ridiculous size when she lifted her gaze to meet a much too familiar face. "Minato…?"  
Minato nodded, his expression very serious. "I noticed your hair and followed them." The boy glanced gloomily towards the nearby borderline. "I was almost too late."

She blinked several times, this all going over her head. "How did you know?"

Never in her life had Kushina's heart shifted quite the way it did when Minato smiled, just a little bit. "Of course I knew. I noticed your beautiful hair right away."

In those few moments they lingered there all but staring at each other, something definitely changed inside Kushina Uzumaki. And she realized with immense startle that she was beginning to fall into something a lot more dangerous than few moments ago.

Their uncomfortably intimate moment was cut when Jiraiya suddenly hopped to a nearby branch. There was a uncharacteristically serious look on the man's face. "Are you two okay?"

She was thankful Minato, at least, managed to nod and speak. "Yeah. I managed to stop them in time."  
Jiraiya nodded as well, relaxing visibly. "Good job." The man winked in a way that brought uncomfortable heat to Kushina's cheeks. "You kids take as much time as you need, yeah? I'll go and report the others." With that the man disappeared.

Looking Minato's way, Kushina was satisfied to discover that at least the boy was feeling just as uncomfortable as she was. "Uh…" The Namikaze cleared his throat. "I... guess we should go."

Her eyes narrowed, more against herself than him. "And you really should let me go. I can walk just fine on my own."

Minato obeyed, and this time he didn't drop her. She fled as fast as possible.

So perhaps she was beginning to fall in love with him, or something. But that didn't mean she'd have to admit it just yet.

There was a tiny, knowing smile on Minato's face as he watched her go.

* * *

TBC, OR NOT?

* * *

A/N: Soooo…. (gulps VERY nervously) How was that – any good?

It's your call, folks! Do you think this story's worth three more chapters, or should this be tossed into a dumpster? **PLEASE**, do let me know – you've gotta know by now that your opinion means a lot! (gives HUGE puppy's eyes)

I have the next chapter written and the rest pretty much planned up, so if you want me to I can offer pretty fast updates.

Until next time, folks – whichever story that shall be! (grins)

Thank you so much for reading this! Take care!


	2. Of Yellow Flashes

A/N: Heh, I was supposed to update some hours ago. But then Kishimoto threw me – and us all – a nice, intriguing curve-ball in the newest chapter and I just had to do so re-writing. (grins) Now the new chapter is as ready as it's gonna get.

BUT, before continuing the story… WOAH! (gasps, blushes and beams) All those reviews…! You guys have seriously baffled me. I could've never imagined that the chapter could get THAT many AMAZING reviews – and I'm thrilled to see how many people love this fantastic couple! (beams again and GLOMPS) So thank you, from the bottom of heart! You guys rock! (hugs once more) **The responses to anonymous reviews and those I couldn't PM** can be found from underneath the chapter.

Awkay, because I don't think you've come here to read my babbling… Let's go! (gulps nervously) I REALLY hope ya'll enjoy the ride!

* * *

_Of Yellow Flashes_

* * *

The next few months after her being rescued weren't exactly pleasant for Kushina. Adults were startled by how close to a disaster things came, and she felt like she'd been a fish in a bowl with how closely they monitored her. Plus, just as she'd feared, the other teens were very curious and excited about the fact that she'd been rescued by none other than Minato.

That early afternoon there were five of them – she, Shikaku Nara, Chōza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka and Yoshino Tokemi – sitting in a recently opened Ichiraku Ramen bar. And hard as she tried Kushina couldn't keep herself from sneaking glances towards the door.

"He's not coming home yet, you know?" There was a knowing look on Inoichi's face. "He'll be on that mission for a couple of more days."

She folded her arms and forced herself to look at anything else than the door. She was much too aware of the blush on her cheeks. "Like I'd care."

Yoshino didn't manage to restrain a snort, and much to her dismay Kushina couldn't really blame her. Since her rescue she and Minato had spent a lot of time together – training, talking or doing nothing at all. So much that it'd caught attention, especially that of their friends and Minato's annoying, jealous fangirls.

Shikaku also snorted. "Yeah, right." He pointed towards her face with a sly grin. "See that look on her face? She's totally Minato's girl."

Seeing her expression and the intense, threatening shade of red rising to her cheeks, Chōza and Inoichi stood hurriedly. "We're going", Inoichi announced. The two disappeared in a flash.

Seeing her twitching eyebrow Shikaku shrugged. "What? I was only stating a fact."

At that moment the Bloody Habanero didn't bother trying to hold herself back. She punched him, _hard_. "I am not ready to be anybody's 'girl' yet, do you understand?" she hissed as the boy nursed his most likely throbbing cheek. By then she'd caught the attention of pretty much every customer, but in her current state of mind she didn't care.

Yoshino also punched to boy's head far from gently. "Leave her alone, idiot!"

While Shikaku yelped "Stop beating me up!" Kushina took her chance and sneaked towards the counter.

"Something with a lot of sugar", she half-groaned, half-begged. "Now."

Teuchi, the owner's son who worked in Ichiraku to help his father, gave her a look of sympathy. "Love can be tricky sometimes."

She looked away, feeling heat on her cheeks. "Hmph." He was nice, so she chose not to scream at his ear not to talk about love.

As from that day Kushina made the decision to avoid Minato to be spared from such conversations in the future. She stuck to that determination for the total of three months, when her fifteenth birthday was only four months away. Then there was Sakura Festival in Konoha.

Kushina felt absolutely ridiculous as she joined the celebrating people. She'd been ordered to have her hair open. That, combined with the white and red kimono she was wearing, made her feel like she'd been participating to a masquerade.

Kushina Uzumaki didn't do such girly stuff.

She was so worked up by sullen thoughts that she jumped when hearing a much too familiar voice. "Wow", Minato practically gasped. Spinning around, she saw an expression that was nothing short of baffled on his face. "You look…"

Her eyes narrowed as she felt intense bubbling all over her body. "Not another word, Namikaze. I feel stupid enough already."

He shrugged, unfaced by her tone. "You shouldn't. I think you're beautiful."

If possible the heat on her cheeks intensified still, and it took her all not to look away. "Well…" She cleared her throat, feeling ridiculous. "Thanks." She wished she'd been able to ignore that he also looked quite attractive in his black and blue attire. More so than she would've liked.

She quirked an eyebrow when seeing a thoughtful look on his face. "What?"

"It's not perfect yet", Minato declared. He smiled, and placed a very beautiful cherry-flower behind her ear. "It needed that. See? It suits with your hair and dress."

That day she learned that Minato Namikaze's smile was contagious. And as she found herself smiling, she came to a conclusion that there was no point in dodging facts anymore.

So yeah, she was falling alright. But maybe it wasn't a bad thing at all.

Neither noticed that they were holding hands as they eventually became aware of the crowd around them and re-joined the festival. They spent the entire evening together.

* * *

At the age of fifteen Minato Namikaze was praised as a genius, a child prodigy, one of the best ninjas Konoha had ever been blessed to see. But there was one thing he was utterly, completely hopeless at. And that thing was women. He remembered that once more one windy afternoon.

Minato wasn't entirely sure how long he'd stood by a tiny river almost outside Konoha when he sensed a presence. "You're late, Jiraiya-sensei."

Jiraiya grinned in his usual manner while stepping out from behind trees. "It's good to give you a little ranbom test every once in a while." The man stood beside him, growing slightly more solemn. "So… How's the task of protecting Kushina going?"

Minato looked away, hoping that the swirling inside him didn't show from his face. It was hard to keep up his usual calm and collected posture when Kushina was in question, he'd discovered. "She… doesn't know what I'm doing. There's been no signs whatsoever of her losing control over Kyuubi. And so far there hasn't been another attempt of capturing her. She's safe – and so is Konoha."

Jiraiya nodded. "That's good."

Minato's eyebrows furrowed as he folded his arms, focusing on the pond nearby. The water looked darker than it should've – or then his imagination was playing tricks on him. "I hate doing this", he confessed, voicing it those words for the first time. He grit teeth, feeling something intense he couldn't name. "I mean… She trusts me completely. And I…" He trailed off, not willing to say the rest aloud. Kushina Uzumaki was the most precious person in his life. He _hated_ hiding things like this from her.

"I know it's not easy", Jiraiya admitted, voice a bit softer than usual. "But she's the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki – she was sent from her own village to here for safety and hiding place. It's not just her safety at stake. If she's captured or loses control Konoha – hell, the whole world – is in danger." He felt the man's eyes sneak towards him for a moment. "What you're doing _is_ important, Minato. Don't forget that."

Minato's eyes narrowed a little against nonexistent light.

The Council had given him the so called mission to guard and keep an eye on Kushina without her knowing it after her kidnap attempt. Back then he'd thought he could do this easily. He'd even been excited about getting to be so close to her – being her secret bodyguard was pretty much as close to her as he could get. It hadn't mattered the slightest that he'd also learned she was the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki, still didn't. But now, when everything had deepened and changed so much…

Minato pulled in a breath. "Guarding her without her knowing would be so much easier if I didn't…" Just then he sensed how Jiraiya stiffened and frowned. "What's wrong?"

Without saying a word the man nodded towards a nearby forestline. Minato felt his blood turn into ice when he saw Kushina standing there. Her smouldering eyes told clearly that she'd heard far more than she should've.

Minato swallowed thickly. "Kushina, I…"

He didn't get a chance to speak any further. Before he could utter another sound Kushina's punch sent the ninja-genius down with stars flashing in his eyes. When he blinked after a moment and his vision cleared Kushina was already walking away. "If guarding me was the only reason we've spent time together, don't bother", she hissed. "I'll do much better on my own."

He got up with some difficulty and attempted to follow her. Jiraiya's hand reached out and grabbed his arm firmly, managing to stop him. "Listen to a man who's been punched by a woman a million times", his sensei adviced with a knowing, serious expression. "When they're in that state of mind, _do not_ follow them."

He gave the man a helpless look. "Then what am I supposed to do?" He looked towards where Kushina had disappeared. "How am I supposed to make up for what I did if I don't even know what I've done?"

Finally letting go of his arm Jiraiya sighed. "Give her time. Women are good at harboring grudges, but none of them stays that mad forever – not even someone as stubborn as Kushina."

He sighed while putting a hand gently to his badly throbbing cheek, hoping dearly that Jiraiya was right. Because he hated the thought of her being pissed off at him. Plus Kushina had definitely developed in ninja-skills – she could strike like a sledgehammer. He didn't want another hit.

It was the first time he got talked and punched down by Kushina. And it wouldn't be the last.

That day, at very least, Minato learned one very important lesson on women. Men should never try to hold secrets from them.

* * *

As from those events Kushina gave Minato silent treatment and avoided him as much as she could. Things stayed that way until a certain day about three weeks later.

It was supposed to be a C-ranked mission – even too easy for someone of Minato's skill-level. No one expected it to turn S-ranked and go so badly wrong. No one expected Minato to get seriously injured, trying to protect a teammate.

And Kushina most definitely didn't expect to find herself running madly towards the hospital as soon as she heard the news, feeling more terrified than ever in her life.

There was a chance that Minato might die, they said. Judging by the severity of the damage, it was more than likely. A member of staff who didn't notice her as she rushed past even sighed that it was a miracle they'd managed to bring him home alive.

Those facts didn't strike her until she entered Minato's hospital room. She was fairly sure her heart stopped for a second at what she found.

Minato was unconscious, and looked so pale that it made her shiver. Watching the blond's bare, carefully bandaged chest she came to a conclusion that he wasn't breathing properly, either. She shouldn't have been surprised – she'd heard someone murmur that he'd broken several ribs and they were bothering his lungs. His other arm was also in a thick cast. She wondered just how much of him was broken.

She braced herself with a deep breath, then approached his bed valiantly and slumped down to the chair placed beside it. "You look like shit, Namikaze. You… messed yourself up pretty badly. Like… _Really_ badly." She swallowed thickly, wondering what the lump in her throat was all about. "So, I had to drag my ass all the way here to make sure…" For some reason she couldn't say the rest. She took his good hand clumsily into hers and focused her gaze firmly on it. The fingers didn't move, didn't even twitch. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "At least you could have the decency of letting me know you can hear me."

He didn't – there was no movement, no reaction. But Kushina didn't give up quite that easily. She stayed by his side for five hours, not letting go of his hand for even a second.

It continued that way for over a week, maybe even ten days. She kept visiting him daily, ignoring the teasing she got from others for it, and spoke to him stubbornly although he never replied. Every day she all but stared at his closed eyes, as though trying to open them with her willpower. But nothing happened. Until one early morning when she woke up to a squeeze on her hand. She blinked sluggishly before turning her gaze. Something shuddered inside her when she realized that Minato's eyes were halfway open, bleary but still.

He smiled feebly and licked his lips. "I… was kind of hoping to see you", he croaked.

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh hell no, you're not sweet talking your way out of this, Namikaze", she hissed. And then, so suddenly that it shocked her, her eyes filled with tears. Some of them slid to her cheeks. "You… You could've died, do you understand? You could've been killed!" She hoped dearly her voice hadn't shuddered the way it did then. Her hold on his hand became painfully tight. "I… We could've…!" At those words her voice failed her completely, or perhaps it was her will. _I could've lost you!_

Minato squeezed her hand as tightly as he could in his current condition. "But you didn't." His voice was just a little bit stronger. "I'm right here. I'll be just fine."

Her eyes flashed a second before she punched the top of his head. "Don't _ever_ do _anything_ that stupid again, understood?" And then she slammed her lips against his with such ferocity that stunned them both.

In that kiss – which was both their first – Kushina realized that she was screwed. She didn't give a damn.

Without them noticing Jiraiya – who'd come to visit Minato – opened the door to see the two of them kissing. He grinned and closed the door soundlessly, deciding to come back much later.

* * *

Kushina and Minato didn't really talk about their kiss afterwards – for the time being both preferred pretending it never happened. Once again time passed, until Kushina was almost sixteen.

It was one of those suffocatingly hot days of summer as Kushina sat on a tree-branch, but she didn't even notice the heat. All her attention was locked to what was happening down on the training grounds.

Minato had five very eager, small children gathered around him, all of them excited to learn some of his famous skills.

"No, Obito. Let me show you." With endless patience Minato stepped forward and helped the black-haired child's fingers move until they were dancing perfectly. "Now blow, but be careful so you won't hurt anyone." Obito shifted so that there was no one in the harm's way and blew. The rest of the children gasped when a burst of fire erupted from the boy's mouth. Minato smiled. "See? That's how you do it."

Obito's eyes shone with excitement. "Oh man, thanks! I can't wait to get to show Rin this!"  
In a little while the children disappeared, and Kushina would've very much liked to do the same. But before she managed to move Minato was stood almost directly below her with a surprised expression. "Hey. What are you doing up there?"

She was fairly sure her face took a shade of bright red. Her mouth opened several times before sound finally came. "I… it was like…" Nervousness had always had the habit of making her clumsy. And that's what happened this time around as well.

She yelped with startle when her balance broke, sending her falling. The shade of red on her face deepened still when Minato caught her with ease, subconsciously pulling her much closer than would've been necessary.

"Are you okay?" he inquired.

She escaped from his hold that seemed to burn her skin. "Eh… Yeah, I guess." She then cleared her throat and fought the arrange her head for a change of subject. "I… didn't know you teach the kids."

Minato shrugged, then sat down to the grass. She followed his example. "Sometimes they come to me for an advice. It's nice to help them." The man looked towards where the Uchiha-kid had disappeared. "I hope Obito remembers what I taught him later on."

Kushina couldn't help smiling as she looked at Minato. "You know… Working with kids really suits you." Facing his surprised look, she couldn't resist adding. "You'll make a great sensei."

It was one of those few times she saw the calm and collected Namikaze blush, albeit just a little bit. So the great Yellow Flash wasn't good at hearing compliments. A hint of a smile appeared to his lips. "Oh", was what he said in the end, the voice sounding somewhat off.

She looked away, unable to resist a smile of her own. This time she didn't fight back when her hand crawled all the way to his and took a firm hold. "Yeah."

Minato took a deep breath, realizing that it was finally time to _talk _about what had been bothering them both for a while. He didn't dare to look towards Kushina as he spoke. "Look… You do understand that I'm not around you just because of that… mission, right?" He took a quick glance towards her, noticing that she was staring straight ahead, then went on. "I… I care about you. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't."

It took torturously long before Kushina finally spoke. "I know you care. I just wish you'd been honest with me from the beginning."

He took a deep breath, noticing that it happened easily. "I'm sorry." His voice didn't sound quite like his own.

"Hmh." Then, instead of giving him the hard time he'd been expecting, Kushina smiled. "They could've given me a much worse bodyguard. But the next time you do something like that I'll beat you to a pulp."

He didn't bother resisting the tiny smile that appeared. He had no doubt she'd do just that.

After a couple of moments he gave her a one more glance, his expression a bit more thoughtful. "So… we're okay?"

The bright grin on Kushina's face didn't leave anything to be doubted. "Yeah. We're okay."

Neither dared to mention their kiss at the hospital, which was another still closed matter.

Minato felt how wind pushed the strands of Kushina's hair to his face, filling his mind with their scent of lavendel. He didn't mind at all.

The day was comfortably quiet as they sat there, holding hands.

* * *

As from that day Kushina and Minato were pretty much inseparable, whether they noticed it or not. Whenever one of them was on a mission the other appeared lost and miserable. Shikaku went as far as calling them an old married couple – only daring to do so behind Kushina's back, of course.

Two weeks after her sixteenth birthday Kushina sat on the rooftop of her home, a deep frown upon her face.

Minato had promised to be back for her birthday. So where the hell was he?

Sometimes she was almost sure Minato could read thoughts, at least hers. Because just then she heard steps, and before she could do more than turn her gaze the Namikaze was sitting beside her.

She scanned him through with her gaze, half-subconsciously trying to spot any possible signs of injuries. Her stiffened muscles didn't relax until she spotted none.

"Sorry I'm late." Minato's voice sounded gruff and tired – she couldn't help wondering if he'd rushed back home without resting properly. "The mission took longer than any of us expected."

She shrugged and looked away, trying to keep her cool although something was squirming in her stomach. "It's okay. It's not like I'd been waiting, or anything."

It was fortunate, really, that she didn't see the knowing look that crossed Minato's face.

She almost jumped with startle when Minato poked her with something. There was a tiny smile on his face. "What, you thought I didn't get you anything?" Looking down she realized that he was offering her a tiny box. "Go ahead and open it."

Kushina was glad the lack of light concealed the blush that was definitely on her face. "Thank you." Working carefully she opened the box – and gasped at what she found.

It was a stunningly beautiful, silvery bracelet that had some red stones decorating it. The shade of the stones matched perfectly with her hair.

"I saw that, and I couldn't help thinking about you", Minato explained, sounding mildly embarrassed.

If she'd been spared from blushing before, she definitely did so at the moment. "I… Like…" She cleared her throat, feeling like a child. "Thank you – I, like, can't believe you bought something like this for me."

"Hmm." His moves gentle, Minato took the bracelet and her wrist. "Let me help you put it on." She couldn't help but notice that his hand remained on her skin far longer than necessary. And she felt no urge to shake off the touch.

She hated breaking the peaceful silence that followed, but she couldn't control herself. "So…" She looked towards the bracelet that shone beautifully in the moonlight. Her heartbeat was far out of her own control. "What does this mean – are we a couple or something?"

Minato didn't speak a word – instead he chose actions. She emitted a tiny yelp of surprise when all of a sudden his hand grabbed her chin, turning her face gently to meet his. And then he pressed his lips to hers, sealing them into a kiss that made her dizzy and out of breath.

And she didn't have to ask anymore.

That day Kushina was pleased to discover that Minato was as good at kissing as he was at pretty much everything else.

* * *

TBC, ne?

* * *

(To those wondering… Yup, Kushina really was the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki before Naruto.) (gawks) (I know – I had to read the manga-chapter thrice before I believed it!)

* * *

A/N: Soooo…. (swallows thickly and glances around nervously) What's your verdict – was that any good, at all? Worth two more chapters? **PLEASE**, do shoot me with a review or tell me about your day! By now you've gotta know how much I love hearing from you. (gives puppy's eyes)

In case you guys want more… IN THE NEXT ONE Minato and Kushina have grown up to young adults. 'Red Thread of Fate' keeps leading them on their destined path.

Until next time, folks – with whichever story that may be!

Take care!

* * *

**I-Like-Pineapples**: 'Hope you don't mind me responding this way, but I couldn't PM you so I figured that this is a possibility.

Awww, I'm so glad to hear you liked the chapter – and my writing, too (which means a lot since I'm a non-native)! (beams)

Mega-sized thank yous for the review!  
Stay tuned, yeah?

**Nobody**: Heh, how could I not write more after a comment like that? (grins)

HUGE thank yous for the review!  
'Hope I'll c ya around.

**Enara6**: 'Hope you don't mind me responding this way, but I couldn't PM you so I figured that this is a possibility.

Really? (beams) Awww, thanks!

Mountain sized thank yous for the review!

'Hope you'll also enjoy the ride to come.

**kari-yugi**: 'Hope you don't mind me responding this way, but I couldn't PM you so I figured that this is a possibility.

I'm thrilled to hear you enjoyed the chapter! (beams)

Colossal thank yous for the review!  
Until next time, I hope.

**Claws**: 'Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the first one! (grins like a madwoman)

Loads and loads of thank yous for the review!

'Hope ya'll find the next chapter worth your expectations.

**Hikaristar007**: 'Hope you don't mind me responding this way, but I couldn't PM you so I figured that this is a possibility.

'Glad to hear you liked it. (grins from ear to ear) Kids falling in love for the first time is kind of cute, ne? (turns into goo)

Monumental thank yous for the review!  
C ya around, I hope.


	3. Of Winds of Change

A/N: Hiya there, folks! Now what's this? I'm updating early for once! (grins from ear to ear)

BUT, first… My dear goodness, all those reviews! (faints from shock) You can't even imagine how incredibly overjoyed it makes me that so many of you love this couple as much as I do. And, of course, that you've enjoyed the story so much. (GLOMPS) So THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart – you guys ROCK! (hugs again) **Responses to anonymous reviews and those I couldn't PM** can be found from underneath the chapter.

Awkay… (takes a deep breath and gulps) Let's get on with the story, shall we? I really, REALLY hope this chapter meets your expectations!

* * *

_Of Winds of Change_

* * *

Minato was at the age of almost twenty when he got his first – and, as it turned out, only – team. Some weeks after the team was formed they got their first mission. It was barely even C-ranked, more like a test than anything else, but nonetheless got the children excited.

On the second night of their mission they sat in the middle of a forest, all of them gathered around a campfire.

Coming to a conclusion that they were safe enough Minato dared to let himself slip into his thoughts. He was shaken back into the present by Rin's voice. "Are you okay?" She pointed towards his temple. "You had a small red spot, right there. It appears when something's bothering you."

At first he blinked, then smiled. It was incredible how observant these children could be. "I'm fine." He looked towards the fire and went on after thinking about it for a moment. "I was just thinking about Kushina."

"She's that chick you kissed when we left, right?" Obito half-exclaimed, then grinned. "She's pretty!"

He smiled. "Yes, she is. But I'd suggest you to never call her a 'chick' when she's around – you wouldn't want to get to the wrong side of her."

There was a knowing look on Rin's face. "You really love a lot, don't you?"

He took a breath, enjoying the scent of smoke. His voice was soft as he spoke. "Yeah, I do."

"Minato-sensei." There was a surprisingly thoughtful look on Rin's face. "What does it feel like, to be in love?"

Looking at the child's face he couldn't help smiling. "It's one of those things that are impossible to explain with words. But when it's love… Trust me, you'll know." He listened to the night's sounds for a moment, appreciating the moment of peace. "But I doubt you'd face it in a few more years."

"You're wrong, sensei!" There was a look he recognized much too well on Obito's face. "I'm already in love."

"Oh yeah?" Rin appeared curious, although only mildly. "With whom?"

Minato wondered if she noticed how Obito blushed. "I'm not gonna tell."

As the two got absorbed into a near-fight Minato turned his gaze towards Kakashi, who was tending the campfire. "You've been awfully quiet. Is everything alright?"

The young Hatake shrugged, a slightly distant look in his eyes. "I was just thinking about something."

Minato felt tempted to ask for a clarification, but he knew there wouldn't be one. "Okay, the three of you. Get some sleep – I'm taking the first guard shift."

He observed the three of them as they retreated to their sleeping spots, wishing him and each other goodnight. He heard Obito and Kakashi bickering before it became quiet.

A smile strayed to his lips.

It looked like his team was turning out to be quite a handful.

* * *

Years flashed by faster than anyone was able to follow, teenagers grew up to adults. Even someone as hotheaded as Kushina Uzumaki matured and calmed down. Minato had a lot to do with that.

At the age of twenty she watched with a tiny smile on her face as Minato ate Kare Raisu she'd just prepared with appetite that suggested he hadn't had anything to eat for weeks. Over dinner the usually calm and even quiet man revealed a new side of him. It was amazing how he managed to talk, eat and breathe at the same time. She'd once teased him that it was another legendary ability added to his book.

These were the moments she loved the most. When neither had a mission in sight, when there were no worries looming in the horizon, when she didn't have to worry about the Kyuubi, when they didn't have to be ninjas legendary for their skills. In these moments they could be just Minato and Kushina. They got to be _together_, eat dinner and spend the rest of the day in bed without wondering what future would bring. Minato's appalling table manners didn't make these moments any less enjoyable – at least he liked her cookings.

Eventually Minato became aware of her half-stare. He stopped eating and looked at her with a slow blink. "What?"

She shook her head, unable to fight away her smile. "Mah, nothing. I got lost into my thoughts, I guess."

"Hmm." A trace of a smile touched his lips when he took a glance towards her empty plate. "I'm taking it you liked it as much as I did."

She narrowed her eyes, although the gesture came out half-heartedly. "Hey! Watch it, _Flash_, or I'll start judging your table manners."

She knew she was in a deep trouble when a mischievous look appeared to Minato's eyes – it was something only she was allowed to see. "You know what, _Habanero_?" She couldn't do much more than yelp before he'd scooped her into his arms. "I think we're continuing this convesation elsewhere."

"Minato Namikaze, put me down right now, do you hear me? Put me down!"

He didn't. And in a few moments she didn't mind at all.

* * *

Not long after Minato turned twenty-four one of the biggest tragedies in his life so far struck.

From the beginning people had warned Minato that he shouldn't let his students so close. But it only just struck him why the day Obito Uchiha died. During those long days after the teen's passing only one person was able to keep him sane.

Their now shared bedroom was quiet and dark as Kushina and Minato lay on the bed side by side, observing the shadows slowly falling night threw to the walls and roof. For the longest time neither had felt any particular need to talk.

In the end Minato spoke quietly. "I talked to his parents today." There was a brief pause. "It was harder than I expected."

There was a sigh. "How many times do we have to tell you? You couldn't have done a thing." Kushina squeezed his hand. "No one else blames you but you."

Minato grit teeth. "A teenager died. Does it even really matter who's to blame at this point?"

"Hmm." She wished she could've come up with something more comforting.

She heard him swallow thickly before he spoke. "You know… He always reminded me of you, in a way. While we were on missions I felt closer to home whenever I looked at him." He breathed in deep. "If we ever have a son… I'd wish him to be like Obito."

A tiny, sad smile rose to her face as she focused on the roof. She'd also had the privilege of meeting Obito a few times, and she found herself agreeing with Minato. "Yeah…", she murmured. "Having a son with his spirit sounds like a nice idea." She shifted once more, deciding that it was time to coax Minato into changing the subject. "And I'd like him to have your hair."

It seemed Minato was also ready to switch to a brighter subject. He looked towards her with a little half-frown. "Why?" He ran a hand through her hair, making her shiver with delight. "I love your hair."

At that she just had to smile. After thinking about it for a moment she leaned to his ear and whispered the three little words only he'd ever heard her say. He responded in a sleepy murmur, then shifted so that he was able to wrap his arms around her and pull her close.

It didn't take long before they fell asleep. Kushina smiled when she woke up in the morning to discover that Minato had gone training, leaving behind only a single fire red rose to the kitchen table.

* * *

Eighteen months passed by.

One morning Kushina found Minato sitting on the doorsteps of their home. There was a very uncharacteristic, almost shocked look on his face.

She frowned, stopping a couple of steps away. "Minato? What's wrong?"

He lifted his gaze and looked at her. It took a moment before the man spoke. "This morning… I was asked to become the new Hokage."

It took several seconds before Kushina really understood what was told to her. When she did the only thing she could do at first was blink once, twice. "Oh…", was the first sound she managed to produce. Quite rapidly a huge smile made its way to her face. "That's amazing!"

Very slowly a similar smile appeared to Minato's lips as well. "Yeah, I guess it's pretty amazing. I still can't believe it." His following words almost made her fall down with shock. "I didn't accept the position yet." Seeing her disbelieving expression he went on. "I said that I'd have to talk to you first." All of a sudden he was very solemn. "We're… a family now, Kushina, we're adults – things are different from when we were kids. And if I do this… Nothing will ever be the same. It's a huge responsibility. We won't have as much time together – there'll be long periods of time when you barely see me. You'll have to share me with Konoha – with all of the world. Plus…" The man's eyes flashed. "I'll have enemies, strong ones, and they will be your enemies as well. I… I won't be just Minato Namikaze anymore."

A smile appeared to her lips. "Don't you get it, goofy?" She took his hand and squeezed. "You've _never _been _just_ Minato Namikaze. You're the Leaf's Yellow Flash – a living legend. The man I love. And it's never gonna change."

Minato smiled, his eyes softening. "Is that so?" He pulled her close, making her gasp a little. "In that case… I think this calls for a celebration."

She responded with kissing him fiercely.

They spent that day and the following night together, deciding to push the looming worries and shadows just a little bit further into the future.

* * *

When a twenty-six-year-old Minato Namikaze came home from a particularly boring political meeting he sensed in an instant that something was going on. The first sign of such was the scent of pumpkin pie.

Kushina never made pumpkin pie.

He entered the kitchen to find her sitting there at the table, with a rosy hue on her cheeks. There was a mug of most likely already cold herbal tea on the table. He frowned a little at that thought that there was something… different about her. He couldn't name what 'it' was, though.

"Hey", he greeted in the end, taking a step into the room. Seeing the way she shivered at his voice and brought a hand to her stomach confirmed his suspicions. "Is everything okay?"

She smiled at him, the hue on her cheeks deepening. "Yeah, yeah – you just startled me." She got up and walked up to him. She'd never kissed him the way she did then. "I missed you."

He blinked twice. Usually she wasn't one to say such things out of the blue, especially when he'd been away for only a couple of days. "I… missed you too." He glanced towards the oven, where a pie was steadily gaining shade. "You've been baking."

Kushina grinned in a somewhat girlish way he hadn't seen often even after she'd matured from her tomboyish-phase. "You usually like my cookings, so I thought I could try my hand at something new. Besides, I was craving for pumpking."

Looking towards her, he noted that her hands were shaking. And he decided that it was time to cut the chase. He gave her a demanding look she usually rolled her eyes at. "Kushina, what's going on?"

She took a deep breath, growing serious. He prepared himself for absolutely anything. "Sit down, Minato. There's… something I want to tell you."

He obeyed and slumped down to the nearest seat he found – which turned out to be a very uncomfortable stool he'd always hated.

Kushina went on after pulling in another breath. "It's like… The thing is…" She cleared her throat, then tried again. "You've probably noticed that I've had nausea and stuff lately. And… I've also been _late_. So, yesterday I finally went and bought a test." She looked at him as if trying to determine whether he was ready to her this. "Minato, I'm pregnant."

It took close to a full minute before he understood what she'd just said, before his screaming thoughts made any sense. But as all finally slid to place something began to bubble and squirm in his stomach.

This was real. This was actually happening.

At that thought he bounced up and scooped Kushina into his arms, spinning her around in the air. "We're gonna have a baby!" He barely recognized that voice as his – there was nothing left of his usual calmness. "I'm gonna be a father!"

Kushina chuckled, holding on to him tightly. "Yeah, I know, I know." It felt like she'd been embracing him. "Now put me down before I start to feel nauseous."

* * *

Some far too short months later there was a deep frown on Minato's face as he entered his office to find Jiraiya waiting for him.

There was a unnervingly solemn look on his former sensei's face. "I take that as you've heard the rumors."

Minato nodded grimly. "You've been traveling around those lands. Is someone after the Kyuubi and Kushina?"

"I met one of my… trusted men in a tavern." Jiraiya's mirthless expression left nothing to be questioned. "According to him there's something big going on."

Minato felt a shudder inside. Although Jiraiya's sources sometimes came from… rather questionable places, they were usually reliable if bribed with enough sake. Things didn't sound promising at all.

Jiraiya's voice snatched him from dark thoughts. "He's not entirely sure what's after the Kyuubi, but it's much stronger than those ninjas from the Hidden Cloud back when you were teenagers. Kushina's going to need a lot of protection to be safe."

Minato winced inwardly. Kushina wasn't going to like that part at all, especially now that hormones were making her emotions spin. But he had her safety to think about first – hers, their unborn baby's, Konoha's.

He nodded stiffly. "She'll have guards around her at all times."

Jiraiya nodded as well. "Good." The man's eyes darkened. "Make sure she's safe – we can't let the Kyuubi or her get into the wrong hands. I'll try to find out what the hell is after the damn demon."

Minato fought the urge to sigh. "Whatever it is, it looks like we'll have a huge problem in our hands, right?"

"Yeah."

Minato mused for a moment, looking out the window. He didn't like the dark clouds gathering to the sky. "Go back there and try to gather as much information as you can. If you find anything at all report to me right away." His eyes darkened as he looked towards Jiraiya. "But be careful. Don't get yourself into a trouble this time around."

Jiraiya nodded, starting his way towards the door. The man stopped once more just before leaving. "And hey, kid?" The man looked at him directly to eyes. "You be careful, too."

He nodded, folding his arms. His eyes followed Jiraiya as the man disappeared.

As soon as he was alone Minato sighed and sat to his chair, leaning his chin to his hands. Suddenly the formerly warm day of spring felt ominously cold.

* * *

TBC, for a one more chapter.

* * *

A/N: So… (gulps) How was that – any good? **PLEASE**, do hit me with a review! You'd make my tiny heart warm and fuzzy. So… pwease? (gives puppy's eyes)

BUT, now… Kushina and Minato have grown, and the next and (SOBS) final chapter shall reveal how their story ends. (Well, eh, we already KNOW how it ends, but… Ya know.)

If ya want me to, **I'll update as soon as Kishimoto posts the new chapter** (so I'll be able to keep this canon until the end).

Until next time, folks – I really hope I'll c ya all with the final chapter!

Peace out!

* * *

**Hikaristar007** : (chuckles) Fluffy it was, ne? Glad to hear you enjoyed it!  
Gigantic thank yous for the review!  
C ya soon, I hope.

ps: Hey, a fellow 007!

* * *

**Chunk**: My GOSH! (blushes beat red, and grins from ear to ear) You sure know how to make author insanely happy.

Colossal thank yous for the amazing review!  
I really hope ya'll be as pleased with the rest.

* * *

**I-Like-Pineapples**: First off, you can't even imagine how much it means to me that you think I haven't lost the firmest touch on this story. It's a huge worry for me, so you lifted a huge weight from my shoulders. (HUGS) Thank you!

Not sure if this is concidered advertising… (eyes warily in case of site staff) I read the manga from . 'Found it there on Thursday morning of my time. Cool!

HUGE thank yous for the review!  
I truly hope ya'll enjoy the rest as much.

* * *

**Jeanne**: (blushes, and gasps) You seriously think so? (HUGS) Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for those incredibly inspiring words!

I truly hope ya'll be just as excited by the rest of the story.


	4. Of the Red Thread of Fate

A/N: Awkay, I'm mildly irritated with Kishimoto right now. Don't get me wrong – he's writing THE BEST Naruto in about over a year, and each new chapter makes me feel warm and fuzzy. But he's stalling when it comes to finishing Minato and Kushina's story. And as much as I love seeing those two around, the slow pace is a problem since I'm trying to keep this story canon. I read the latest chapter yesterday and decided that there was no way I could make you guys wait any longer. So – whether it's fully canon or not – here comes chapter four. (grins)

Ah, but first… Thank you so much for all those amazing reviews you left for the previous chapter! You seriously made not updating earlier difficult, ya know? (grins, and GLOMPS) THANK YOU! (hugs again) **Responses to anonymous reviews and those I couldn't PM back **can be found from underneath the chapter, as usual.

BUT, now… (gulps extremely nervously) I guess I can't keep stalling any longer, sooooo… (takes a deep breath) Here comes the final chapter. I REALLY hope you'll enjoy the ride!

* * *

_Of the Red Thread of Fate_

* * *

Months flew by, and soon enough Kushina was four months pregnant. Both she and Minato enjoyed the rare moment of peace as they lay in their bed, he holding her in a rather tender hold.

Minato loved moments like this, when the reality felt like nothing but a distant dream. When he could pretend for a little while that everything was perfect in their world, that the Kyuubi and their enemies didn't exist.

"You know…", Kushina murmured, sounding like she'd been about to fall asleep. "I'm pretty sure it's a boy."

He quirked an eyebrow, feeling a hint of a smile on his face. "Oh? Why?"

There wasn't doubt on Kushina's face as she looked at him with shining eyes. "Trust me. A mother knows these things." She placed one hand gently to her slightly swollen abdomen. "All we need is the perfect name for him. And there's one on my mind."

He arched an eyebrow once more. "I didn't know you'd been looking already."

Kushina grinned, reminding him a little of the teenager she'd once been. "I didn't have to look – the name found me. I read that book of Jiraiya's you've been going on about." A gentle look appeared to her eyes as she glanced towards her barely visible bump. "I think Naruto would be a great name for this kid."

Something warm spread all over Minato, and he couldn't resist tightening his hold on the redhead. "Are you sure?"

Kushina nodded, then chuckled. "And it looks like the little one agrees – he started kicking like crazy."

A smirk appearing to his face Minato outstretched a hand and slid it under Kushina's shirt, so that he could touch the bare skin of her stomach. It took a moment but then he felt a clear thrust, then another.

He felt his eyes soften, along with everything else inside him. At that moment the mighty Hokage was dangerously close to tears. "He's gonna be as tough as you", he stated softly.

"Hmm."

Minato strayed deep in thoughts for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the baby moving, until he glanced towards Kushina's face. He grinned a bit when noticing that she'd fallen asleep. Cautiously – careful not to disturb the woman's rest – he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, then whispered a few words only she was allowed to hear.

He almost fell asleep as well until he heard a silent thud. A rock hitting the room's window.

Feeling much colder than some moments earlier he looked towards Kushina, making sure she was still sound asleep, then pushed himself out of the bed. Some very dark ideas rose in the back of his mind as he made his way out of the house.

Kushina didn't know how long she'd spent in half-sleep until she woke up with a start, a frown on her face and one hand protectively on her stomach. Did she have a nightmare?

She turned towards Minato's side and felt a jolt when finding it empty. She blamed hormones on the fact that her eyes stung.

_Oh hell… Not again…!_

Following some instinct she got up, making her way to the room's window. The sight she met brought her cold shivers.

Minato wasn't alone on their porch – before the Hokage stood Jiraiya, his expression more serious than Kushina had ever seen it. The man told Minato something that made the Hokage's blue eyes flash and darken.

Kushina knew that reaction better than well, and that's why her stomach knotted.

As though sensing her there Minato turned his gaze and their eyes met. And at that moment they both understood that things wouldn't be the same again.

* * *

Although Minato did his best to protect Kushina – as he put it, because she called it lying – she heard the constantly spreading rumors of someone or something very dangerous being after the Kyuubi. And as her pregnancy was almost eight months along she found herself growing restless.

If something really did happen to her, what would happen to Naruto? Would she be able to protect her son from whatever was to come? It was annoying to worry about such things along with all the other questions the pregnancy and becoming a mother brought to her mind.

Having been pacing around for the past three hours while waiting for Minato's newest investigation mission to end Kushina was at her feet when the man entered, appearing exhausted.

"How bad is it?" she asked immediately.

Minato took a breath, not really looking at her. "You shouldn't worry so much."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't you dare belittle me like that, Namikaze. I have the right to know."

Minato didn't respond, instead walked up to her and pulled her to a tight embrace. All of a sudden Kushina felt very cold.

"I have to go – there's an emergency meeting." Minato's voice was tight and tired. There was a nearly torn look in the man's eyes. "I just wanted to see you first."

She nodded, then frowned as she spotted the look in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

Minato shook his head, then kissed her with such passion that suggested someone's life depended on it. Once the kiss was over he pulled her tighter into his arms, still not saying a word.

For someone as impatient as Kushina the two minutes of silence felt endless. "I've been thinking", Minato murmured in the end, his face buried into her hair. "We've been waiting too long." He looked at her with surprisingly serious eyes. "When this is all over, when we've found a way to keep you safe… Will you marry me?"

Once again she was convinced hormones were in action, because without a warning tears ran down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms tighter around Minato, holding him as though she'd feared he might disappear. "Yeah, you idiot", she murmured into his ear, closing her eyes tightly. "Of course I'll marry you."

As they kept holding each other they decided not to think about the fact that when this was all over there might not be them – that the world as they knew it might fall to pieces. At the moment such an option didn't exist.

* * *

/**THE FOLLOWING BIT INCLUDES A LOT OF DIALOGUE FROM THE ACTUAL MANGA. ME NO OWN!**/

* * *

Naruto's birth was planned carefully and in great secrecy – only a handfull of people knew any details of the one time when the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki was at her weakest.

As usual with labors, Naruto's birth wasn't a smooth, painless ride. Minato had never before been as terrified as he was then, watching Kushina bleeding and screaming like a wild animal. But he never once let go of her hand, even though she cursed him with a extremely colorful vocabulary and almost broke every singly bone of his limb. With how loud and dramatic it all was the end was almost anti-climatic.

All of a sudden shrill, demanding cry filled the small space. Nothing in the world could've matched with what Kushina and Minato felt as they were finally face to face with their son.

Minato could only laugh, wiping tears from his eyes. "I'm a father!"

All of Kushina's attention became fixed on Naruto. And she smiled like only a mother can, panting with exhaustion and something overwhelmingly strong. "Naruto… I finally get to meet you…"

She almost cried out when the baby was suddenly taken from her arms. Her attention snapped away from Naruto only when she saw Minato's face above her and he spoke, his expression grim and focused. "I know you're exhausted from the birth, but we've gotta get the Nine-Tails completely sealed."

She nodded, fighting to concentrate. "Right."

It was supposed to be finished, they were supposed to be safe. But exactly five seconds later Kushina's eyes widened as her maternal instincts and something much darker screamed a warning.

_No – not now, please not now…!_

Such coldness she'd never felt before filled her until there was a boom.

"Biwako – sama, taji!"

And then, in less than a breath, Naruto was in a masked attacker's arms. At that moment Kushina could've sworn her heart stopped for a while.

Kushina had never known such fear she did then, and it wasn't for herself. She was terrified out of her mind of what that bastard would do to Naruto, when she couldn't do a thing to protect her son. The only thing she could do was scream, with all the rage and terror there was in her.

If she'd had any strength whatsoever in her she would've charged forth and ripped that asshole to shreds with her bare hands. But unfortunately she didn't have such option.

And like that wasn't enough Kyuubi decided to start acting up on her. The pain was unimaginable.

"Kushina!" All sounds were muffled to her, unclear.

"… your son dies?"

Then, in the middle of the chaos, all her attention focused on the fact that Naruto was flying through the air. For the second time in those few moments her heart stopped as she bellowed at the top of her lungs. "NARUTO!"

Minato was already moving, and hot relief flowed through her when he caught the baby safely into his arms. But her happiness was doomed to be short lived. Because the next second there was a deafeningly loud explosion, and she couldn't see her family anymore.

Tears filled her eyes as she screamed once more. "NARUTO! MINATO!"

Minutes later, chained by the attacker who was ripping Kyuubi out of her, Kushina fought not to scream under the tidal wave of agony and wrath.

Her son, her beloved, her village… She'd failed to protect them, let them all down. And now…

With what she assumed to be some of her last breaths Kushina slumped down to the stony floor, panting helplessly as she tried to reach out for the man who was already walking away. She'd never felt weaker in her life. "Stop…", she barely managed.

She was almost sure the man spoke something, but she couldn't comprehend the words anymore. And the next moment Kyuubi was attacking her.

Kushina was almost sure she'd die right there and then. But after a one more shallow breath she realized that she was out in the forest once more – in Minato's arms.

Forcing absolutely every ounce of her strength to motion she rasped out. "Minato… Is Naruto okay?"

She was amazed that even in such a situation Minato's smile was comforting. "Yeah, he's fine. I hid him someplace safe."

It was the greatest relief Kushina had ever felt. Enough to make her smile although she was in agony and knew she didn't have much time left. "Oh thank god…" Then, struggling to just think, she forced words out through pants. "Minato… Stop him… Stop the Nine-Tails… They're headed for the village…"

The sight of Minato's face was the last thing she saw before everything faded ino darkness. The next time she managed to crack her eyes open she realized that she was in a tiny house, still in Minato's arms. Safe.

Her head spinning and her thought blurring together she frowned as he lay her gently to the floor. "Why?" _Why did you save me when you knew it was too late? Why did you…?_ The thought was, however, cut as she realized that she'd been laid right next to a already calm Naruto. Immediately tears found their way to her eyes.

This… was the last time she'd ever see her son. She was fairly sure that deep down both she and Minato knew it.

"Never mind why." Minato's voice didn't sound quite familiar to her ears. He got up oddly stiffly, she could _feel_ his reluctance to leave. "Stay with Naruto."

Unable to do anything else she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and pulled the baby close. "Naruto…"

Hearing Minato move she forced her eyes halfway open to look at him. His back was to her as he approached the door. That was when the first tears rolled down her cheeks. "Minato… Thank you… Good luck…."

Minato didn't have to tell her how hard it was for him to leave, how much he loved them and would've wanted to say. She wouldn't have even needed to see his balled fists. She already knew. "I'll be back before you know it", he promised in that unfamiliar voice.

Kushina hoped from the bottom of her heart that she would've managed to summon the will to say at least something, anything. Because as soon as Minato walked out the door she knew it was the last time she ever saw him. And the tears streamed harder.

It took a moment before she managed to gather enough strength and concentration to look at Naruto, who was sleeping soundly. It was a huge relief to her that the child, at least, was oblivious to the nightmare going on.

Her eyes blurred for a while just before she whispered. "I love you… Naruto…" She leaned her forehead against the baby's, relieved that he didn't wake up to the couple of her tears spilling to his face. Apparently he was as heavy sleeper as she was. "Don't forget that."

Naruto responded with making a sleepy sound.

Kushina's stream of thought began to slow, but at least she was still functional and conscious. She knew there wasn't a lot of time left.

She was no fool – she knew exactly what Minato would soon have to do. Kyuubi couldn't be allowed to run around freely. He'd have to seal it. Although Kushina despised even the mere thought she knew there weren't many who'd be able to carry such a burden. She was fairly sure Naruto would soon have to continue the mission that used to be hers. And there was only one thing she could do to help him.

"It's alright", she whispered hoarsely. "You're gonna be okay… I promise."

The baby stirred, then followed with clear fascination how her tired fingers moved in the rhytm of a nearly forgotten technique. Soon enough the tiny space filled with blue light as a part of her chakra flowed into the baby. Naruto squealed and waved his arms, but didn't start to cry.

Kushina, on the other hand, was dangerously close to tears once more as the glow died out. She was fairly sure the lack of chakra wasn't the only reason she felt a hole inside her while brushing Naruto's cheek gently. "See that, Naruto?" Her eyes drooped and she fought to stay awake for a few more seconds. "That way a part of me is always with you – I hope you can feel it. No matter what happens… I'll be there to protect you."

With those words she lost the battle. Her eyes slipped closed, and every single muscle in her body went limp as she lay on the floor. Her breathing didn't work properly, either.

The sounds Naruto made escorted her into a blinding white, away from one world.

* * *

/**AND NOW, OFF TO SOMETHING A TOUCH LESS CANON.**/

* * *

By the time Minato rushed back to the house – exhausted, dizzy and terrified out of his mind for his family – he came to discover that he wasn't the first one there. He stopped a couple of steps away from the door as Hiruzen Sarutobi walked out, holding Naruto in his arms. There was a gloomy expression on the older man's face that made Minato's chest tighten painfully.

_No…_ "Kushina?"

It took a mighty while before Sarutobi managed to look at him, let alone talk. The man stopped a step away from him and shook his head slowly. "I'm so sorry, Minato. But… By the time we arrived it was already too late."

Minato barely heard that last sentence as he stood there, fists balled with helpless rage and such ache he'd never experienced before. It felt like the bottom had dropped his world, and it sucked him so out of breath that he couldn't even cry out or shed a tear. He never noticed that he was shaking violently.

He didn't come out of his stupor until there was a touch on his shoulder, after which Naruto was placed gently into his arms. "Naruto's fine. A bit shaken by all the hassle, but physically alright."

Minato nodded, dazed. This was all going over his head. And then he sensed something that made his eyes blur for a fleeting second – something very familiar. "Kushina…", he breathed out, looking at the baby in his arms. Blue eyes looked right back. "She gave him some of her chakra."

He wasn't sure how long passed until Sarutobi spoke, quietly yet sternly. "Minato." The tone was enough to make him look at the man. "I know this is hard for you, but Kyuubi is attacking Konoha. It needs to be sealed." The older man's eyes were sad as they shifted towards Naruto. "And sadly… At the moment there are only two children in Konoha who are strong enough and can be considered. And I doubt you'd want to seal it into Sasuke."

Looking at his son Minato was forced to admit that Sarutobi was right. Naruto was the only possible option. He hated even the mere thought, but what else could he do?

It was the hardest decision he'd ever come across. And he didn't want any other father to face it.

Minato closed his eyes for a moment to gather himself, then looked at Sarutobi. His voice was heavy as he spoke. "Tell someone to bring Naruto to the forest opening in half an hour." For a one more time he looked at Naruto, who appeared confused and restless. His eyes stung, forcing him to blink twice. "However this turns out… Do what you can to make sure he's loved." He took a deep breath to even his voice. "I… I don't want him to be treated as monster."

Sarutobi nodded solemnly, accepting the baby into his arms. Just as Minato had turned around and taken two heavy, hard steps away the older man spoke. "Good luck, Minato. And remember, you're doing the right thing."

Doing the right thing, Minato mused while walking away.

Then why didn't he feelt that way?

* * *

Exactly five minutes and thirty seconds before his death Minato was knelt to the forest floor, long since having grown deaf to chakra-chained Kyuubi's roars. He looked down towards Naruto, who was crying heartbreakingly. At that moment he was much too aware of how little time there was left, how little choice he had.

Minato's throat felt choked as he put the baby gently into a small basket, letting go with reluctance the kind he'd never felt before. And then he allowed his badly shaking hands move while something warm and hot appeared to his cheeks.

_I'm so sorry, Naruto._ He could barely breathe as he closed his eyes and completed his actions. _If there was a choice…_

He grit teeth, feeling something of himself fade away.

He'd done all he could for Konoha, given _everything_. Now he could only pray that it wasn't in vain – that the curse he was about to put on his own child would also cause things that weren't dark.

There was a deafening roar, far louder than that of thunder. And then it was all over.

Dying was nothing like Minato had expected. He felt lightheaded a second before everything turned utterly white, like snow had covered everything. The sound of Naruto crying escorted him as he faded away from the world.

* * *

No one in the grieving village noticed that that night two new stars lit up in the sky.

* * *

Years, almost two decades, flew by.

There was a look of sadness and longing on sixteen-year-old Naruto's face as he stood on a cliff, barely seeing eyes observing how waves caressed the stones. At that moment Naruto looked more like his father than ever before.

His mother's words – the last and only ones he'd ever hear from her, the tale he was still struggling to believe – echoed in his head. His mind wrapped around three particular words.

'_I love you._'

Blinking furiously Naruto lifted his gaze towards the steadily darkening sky, where stars were already starting to show. He felt choked, but sobs didn't escape.

"I wish you guys could be here, you know? But… I hope you see me, wherever you are." It took a moment before he realized that he was the one talking. He didn't even notice how a couple of tears spilled. "Thanks, for everything. I'll make you proud of me, believe it. I'll do whatever it takes to be worth your expectations."

"Naruto?" He jumped upon hearing Yamato's voice. Glancing over his shoulder he met a pair of somewhat worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

It wasn't until then Naruto realized that there were tears on his cheeks. He wiped them away and tried to grin. "Yup, I'm fine. Just… thinking."

Yamato nodded, then apparently came to a conclusion that there was no point in prying further. "There's some dinner still left, if you're hungry."

This time his grin was a genuine one. "Are you kidding? I'm starving! I'll be there in a bit."

After Yamato had left Naruto lifted his gaze towards the stars once more, focusing on two particular ones that seemed to be coalesced. And he smiled.

If he'd ever been in self-doubt, sad, angry, insecure and lonely, he was none of that anymore. He had friends, a home, precious things and people to protect – and somewhere out there parents who'd loved him more than anything watching over him. And he was going to show the world just what the heir of 'The Leaf's Yellow Flash' and 'The Bloody Habareno' was made of – what was at the end of the red thread of fate.

He was Naruto Uzumaki. And his tale had only just begun.

* * *

**_Owari._**

* * *

A/N: (sobs a bit, wiping eyes) I… feel a bit sad when sitting at the end of this. Those two poor things! But at least there's Naruto to carry on their legacy. And we can always imagine they ended up happy wherever they went, right?

**PLEASE**, do leave a review for this final chapter! I'm a bit insecure when it comes to first and last chapters so it'd mean the world to me. So… Pwease? (gives puppy's eyes)

You guys, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love you've given this story! When starting I was expecting this to get one or two reviews, but clearly I underestimated how much you love this couple. Thank for all those reviews and listing – heck, thank you for sticking around! You guys are the best, ya know?

MinaKushi forever, folks! (grins)

Once more, thank you! Who knows, maybe I'll see you guys again with another MinaKushi or some story.

All the best for each and every single one of you! Peace out!

* * *

**piiiie**: So I'm not the only one head over heels for that couple! (grins) They definitely deserve tons of love.

Monumental thank yous for the review!

I really hope ya'll be staying tuned for the final chapter.

* * *

**I-Like-Pineapples**: My gosh, how happy I am to hear enjoy how the plot's developing! It's one huge concern for me while I write. (grins and wipes forehead)

I didn't want to rush things, so I wrote in a chapter four. Besides, a story of the Fourth should have four chapters, right? (grins again)

Gigantic thank yous for the heartwarming review!

I hope you'll enjoy the final chapter as much.


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